Pumpkin Bread

My house smells amazing right now. I wish I could somehow share this aroma with you. I've got pumpkin bread baking and it's a scent that should be bottled. Yeah, companies try to bottle it or make candles that kind of compare. While they usually smell pretty good... those products just don't quite cut it.

Pumpkin Bread

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 stick of butter, unsalted
2 eggs
15 oz can of pumpkin

White sugar
Ground cinnamon

In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Loosely stir together. In a mixing bowl, cream together brown sugar and butter. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Mix in pumpkin. Mix in flour little by little.

Just look at that beautiful batter!

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare bread pans by rubbing olive oil all around the inside. I used two medium size pans. One large pan or 4 mini pans would be great too. Just keep in mind your bake time will vary. Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle white sugar and cinnamon over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the middle comes out clean when checked with a knife. Remove from oven and let it rest for a few minutes. Loosen the sides with a knife or spatula. Flip the pan over holding a hand over the bread. Place bread on cooling rack.

Wait until the bread has cooled a bit before cutting into it. But DO eat some while it's still warm. You can spread on some butter or cream cheese frosting or a cinnamon glaze or add nothing at all.

Enjoy! 

Pumpkin Kiss Snickerdoodle Cookies

Snickerdoodle and pumpkin make the perfect marriage in these cookies. I discovered Pumpkin Kisses last Fall. Alone the Kisses are okay.... very pumpkin-y. But together with the right cookies or bars they are super duper!

Snickerdoodle cookies original recipe from Lovin' From The Oven

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

2 tbsp white sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Bag of Pumpkin Flavored Hershey's Kisses

In a bowl, combine flour, salt, baking and cream of tartar. Set aside. In another bowl, cream together sugars and butter. Add egg and mix. Add vanilla and mix again. Slowly mix in flour mixture.

Place dough in the refrigerator to firm up for about 30 mins.

Preheat oven to 300. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Roll each dough into the sugar/cinnamon before placing it on the cookie sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Cookies may seem undercooked but they will firm up. 

These cookies are amazing even without the Kiss

Once out of the oven, add the kiss. 

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups with a microwaveable caramel sauce

I am so very late to the pumpkin party! I just hope I'm not too late and you've all overdosed on it  already. I have a good excuse for being late... I really do. I am 3 1/2 months pregnant with twins and morning sickness has been in full swing. You have to feel bad for me. Just think of all the awesome Fall recipes I missed out on.

My first pumpkin recipe of the Fall involves pumpkin (duh!), cheesecake and caramel. Introducing Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups...

These single serving size cups are made in a muffin tin. I used a large cupped tin but you can use whatever size you'd like. You can also check out the original recipe if you want to make a traditional cheesecake.

Because I love experimenting, I made these with a Cinnamon Toast Crunch crust. The result was quite tasty. The options of cookies, crackers, cereal you can use for a crust are endless!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups (original recipe: Once Upon A Chef)

Makes 6 in a large muffin pan

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crust 

4 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal

4 tbsp butter, melted

Pumpkin Cheesecake

5oz canned pumpkin

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Dash of salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

8oz cream cheese, room temp

2 eggs, room temp

Caramel Sauce (microwave!)

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tbsp light corn syrup

2 tbsp water

1/8 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp butter

To make the crust:

Ground the cereal into fine crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and stir together.

Preheat oven to 325. Prepare a large muffin pan by rubbing olive oil into each muffin cup.

Divide the cereal mixture into each muffin cup. You may have a little left over.

Bake crust for about 8 minutes. Let cool while you prepare the cheesecake.

To make the cheesecake:

Combine pumpkin, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a saucepan. Cook on med-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to sputter. Reduce to med-low heat and stir constantly for another 5 minutes or until the mixture has become a rich brown color and thickened.

Pour into bowl and mix for one minute. Pour in heavy cream while mixer is on. Mix evenly. Add chunks of cream cheese and blend until smooth. This took quite a while for me and honestly it was still a little chunky when I decided enough was enough. The original recipe suggests using a food processor. I think it would be the preferred method in order to get the mixture smooth and to avoid chunky bits of cream cheese.  Add eggs and stir just until combined. Overmixing will cause the cheesecake to rise and crack.

Spoon the cheesecake mix into the muffin cups (on top of the crust).

We are going to bake this cheesecake in a water bath. The bath allows the cheesecake to cook evenly and helps to avoid it from cracking. Wrap the bottom of the muffin pan in foil.

Fill a cake pan with water. Just enough so it doesn't overflow once you add the prepared muffin tin.

Bake cheesecake for about 1 hour or until the cheesecake is no longer jiggling. Remove from oven and let cool for about 1/2 hour. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours. 

To make the caramel sauce:

Seriously, this recipe so easy and the sauce it absolutely wonderful!

Stir together sugar, syrup, water and lemon juice. Microwave until the caramel is pale yellow, or just barely starting to take on some color, 4-8 minutes (depending on the strength of your microwave). It's fine to stop and open the microwave to check often; just don't let it get too dark or it will burn.

Let the caramel sit for about 5 minutes -- it will gradually turn a rich amber color. (If after five minutes, it's not dark enough, place it back in the microwave for thirty seconds or so, then let it darken again. If it gets too dark, start over.)

In the meantime, heat the cream in the microwave until hot. Once the caramel reaches the right color, add the hot cream a few tablespoons at a time. It will bubble up intensely, but won't overflow.

After you've added all the cream, stir to incorporate then add the butter. Add more cream if the mixture seems too thick. Once the caramel cools, you can store it in your fridge.

When you are ready to serve, carefully slide a butter knife around the edges of the cheesecake and gently loosen it from the pan. Top with whip cream, caramel and a dash of cinnamon.

Enjoy!